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Interesting facts about kerosene

Kerosene is widely used across the world as a heating oil for domestic and commercial properties. It is estimated that more than 1.6 million homes in the UK use Kerosene to power oil fired boilers and range cookers but there are a lot of facts about the fuel that you may be unaware of.

We’ve put together this list of the most interesting facts about the heating oil so many of us rely on.

  • The name kerosene is derived from the Greek word ‘Keros’ meaning wax. It also has other names including; 28 second oil, boiler juice, paraffin and kero.

  • The fuel was discovered by Persian scholar Muhammed Ibn Zakariya al-Razi. He was the first person in history to record the distillation process used to create Kerosene.

  • Fractional distillation is the process used to create kerosene. It works by separating the compounds that form crude oil and breaks it down to leave a clear, thin oil.

  • Whilst being the main form of heating oil, kerosene is also used in the entertainment industry. Performers such as fire breathers, juggles and dancers use it to captivate their audiences.

  • Worldwide we use around 1.2 million barrels of kerosene per day. This equates to roughly 54 million gallons per day and nearly 20 billion gallons worldwide each year.

  • Kerosene works well as a cleaning agent and is sometimes used to clean old oil from bicycle and motorcycle chains before new lubrication is applied.

Kerosene is a multi-use fuel that has been in use for centuries, many people still rely on this fuel as a method of heating their homes or even for kerosene-fulled lamps.

If you are looking to purchase heating oil from a well-established and renowned supplier, call us on 01543 506117 or visit our free quote and ordertool online.